Ok, so it's resource time. And today I've got my favourite non-Bible book for the youngest of toddlers (0-2yrs old) on show. It is God knows all about me by Claire Page. It's been around for a bunch of years now, but I think it is absolutely excellent for a couple of reasons:
The theme is on point
It hits the great foundational theme of God's all-knowingness and it works hard to make it personal for the kids. God knows all about me. The book really helpfully draws out simple anatomy like God knowing our knees and toes, but goes beyond that to God knowing when we're smelly, and when we are bad. It is a really helpful resource for bringing God's sovereign presence into our kids' lives. The rhymes and fun pictures create a super positive tone for God knowing everything about us, which is great, because that is a positive thing!
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. Psalm 34:15-16
Super readable with littlies
Another thing that I love about this book is how readable it is with little tykes. It is a board book with padded cover, which is a must with 0-2yr olds! The pictures are fun, colourful and interesting. The different things the book picks up (eg. "when I whisper, when I shout") are things the kids can easily relate to, and it's so easy to act them out while reading the book. It is a book that you'll read again and again and yet you won't absolutely hate it by the end. And it has proven to be one of the most durable of our books!
The one downside
There is only one thing that lets this great book down, and that is the final page. It reads 'From the beginning... to the end, God will always be my friend: God knows all about me.' Now my problem with this line is that it can reinforce one of the most dangerous lies that our kids will encounter: I am saved because I grew up in a Christian family. If God was our friend 'from the beginning', then sin never made me his enemy. And if he will always be friend in the same sense, then I don't have to trust Jesus, it will just happen. But the Bible says it differently:
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. Colossians 1:22-23 (my emphasis)
Now, call me pedantic and nitpicky if you want. But to be honest, if I'm going to be reading and re-reading a book to my kids, I want to make sure it reinforces the gospel, and doesn't undermine it. So thankfully, I came up with an incredibly elegant solution to this problem. Check it out in the pics below.
A bit ridiculous perhaps, but I care more about the truth than the pristine nature of books. Also, it's provided me with the opportunity to teach the kids that we hold every book up against the Bible. If it lines up, thumbs up. If it is off the mark, out come the black textas! Because the truth of God matters.
Wanna buy it?
Good news! We were chatting to our friends at The Wandering Bookseller and they've decided to keep this book as cheap as possible. Hands down the best price you'll come across. So worth it. Jump on over there and get it for only $12.99.